The Love of Jesus Gives Us Hope

Last week, we talked some of the events around Jesus' death and resurrection, and how many of Jesus' followers were full of doubts, questions, and fears — and rightfully so!

Their leader and Savior had just been killed! Their lives probably felt chaotic and hopeless too.

We saw that . . .Peter (who denied he ever knew Jesus) needed courage and clarity to help him trust Jesus.

Thomas (who demanded proof of Jesus' life) needed evidence and reassurance to help him believe.

Mary Magdalene (who couldn't fathom that Jesus could possibly be alive) needed comfort and hope that the good news was true.

Today we're going to look at some of those same stories again to see how the very first Easter doesn't just address our doubts — it also has the power to give us hope in some not-so-obvious ways.

Scripture: John 20:1-13

Let's look at Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus' most devoted followers. Jesus had saved her from so much and given her a new purpose and direction in life.

So when He died, Mary was devastated. Scripture talks about Mary's tears four times in just a few verses.

John 20:1–13 CSB

1 On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she went running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!” 3 At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 5 Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. 7 The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself. 8 The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying. 11 But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’s body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.”

D.A. Carson says, “the darkness of the hour is the perfect counterpart to the darkness that still shrouds Mary’s understanding.”

Mary was experiencing deep hopelessness. She had already lost her dear friend once, but now that His body was gone, she thought she had lost Him again.

Scripture: John 20:14-18

Sometimes when we find ourselves experiencing a deep, aching kind of hopelessness, it's tough to see what is right in front of us.

In our grief, we feel lost, confused, and uncertain. It was in these moments of uncertainty that Jesus began speaking to Mary.

John 20:14–18 CSB

14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus. 15 “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?” Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.” 17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus told her, “since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her.

Question. Who is someone you'd recognize anywhere? Are you picturing their face? If they walked through the door right now, you’d recognize them instantly, right?

Of course you would! And that’s what I find so interesting about this story.

Mary assumed someone had stolen His body because what else could explain why her dead friend wasn't in His tomb? Overcome with grief, Mary wept.

As she cried, someone asked why she was crying. She thought the voice belonged to a gardener, but when the man said her name, she realized — wait, that was Jesus! He was alive!

The Gospel according to John 2. Jesus Appears to Mary (20:10–18)

Whatever the cause of her blindness, the single word Mary, spoken as Jesus had always uttered it, was enough to remove it. The good shepherd ‘calls his own sheep by name … and his sheep follow him because they know his voice’ (10:3–4). Anguish and despair are instantly swallowed up by astonishment and delight. Mary addresses him as she always has: Rabboni!—an Aramaic word (cf. notes on 5:2) which John dutifully translates for his Greek-speaking readers (cf. notes on 1:38, 41, and Additional Note). It may not be the highest Christological confession (cf. v. 28), but at this point Mary is enthralled by the restored relationship, not contemplating its theological implications.

“Anguish and despair are instantly swallowed up by astonishment and delight. Mary addresses him as she always has: Rabboni!”

Sometimes our hopelessness keeps us from recognizing that Jesus is present and with us. But when we're finally able to see that Jesus is with us, even in our darkest moments, our hopelessness can turn immediately into HOPE!

Scripture: John 20:24-29

Here's the hard part, though. Sometimes, when we feel hopeless . . . Jesus doesn't show up. Jesus went to see His disciples after His life was restored. But not everyone was there that day. Not everyone saw Him.

Thomas wasn't there when Jesus returned. He didn't get to see Jesus, so he didn't even believe He was alive. We can relate, right?

I mean, most people who die tend to remain dead. Why would Thomas be looking for Jesus who had been buried? Why would Thomas believe he would ever see Jesus again?

John 20:24–29 CSB

24 But Thomas (called “Twin”), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.” 28 Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

Thomas did get to see Jesus again, but it didn't happen right away. Thomas sat with his uncertainty, confusion, and doubts for eight entire days.

Can you remember where you were eight days ago? Think about how much time has passed since then.

Does eight days from now feel far away? Imagine how much longer it would feel if you were waiting, hoping, and wondering if each day might be the day you get to see Jesus — and how disappointed you might be when each of those seven days passed without Jesus' presence.

Scripture: Ephesians 1:18

Jesus' appearances to Mary and Thomas give us clues about the kind of hope Jesus gives us.

It's not a temporary, here-one-day-and-gone-the-next kind of hope, but a kind of hope that can out last our doubt and uncertainty.

It's a hope that's based in His ability to conquer death, because if He can beat death, there's nothing He can't do.

It's a hope that's based in His great love for us. He loved us enough to die for us, and He loves us enough to show up to comfort us when we need a glimpse of hope.

So when we're feeling hopeless, can we expect Jesus to show up in the flesh like He did for Mary and Thomas? Probably not, but here's what the apostle Paul says . .

Ephesians 1:18 CSB

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

We may not be able to see Jesus with our physical eyes, but the eyes of our hearts can see the hope that Jesus offers us. Like Mary and Thomas, our pain or hopelessness don't have to prevent us from seeing what’s true — that Jesus really is alive, and that His love gives us hope.